Shipping and display case



March V1s, 1947. J. SACKS 2,417,705

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CASE Filed Oct. 20, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 425 (ze 58 Z5)` lNvENToR JOHN E. SRCKS f BY 24- ATORNEY March 18, 1947. ,E, SACKS 2,417,705

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CASE Filed Oc. 20. 1943 5|Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN sncns BY Z494 @1? ATTORNEY March 18, 1947. J.E. sAcfKs 2,417,705

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CASE Filed Oct. 20, V1943 5 'Sheefcs-Sheet 5 ATTOR March 18, 1947. J.' E. sAcKs SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CASE l Filed Oct. 20, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 s m ma N W we, N. *ln H o J d ATTORNEYS March la., 1947. I J E SCKS 2,417,705

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CASE Fild oct. 2o, 194s 5 sheets-sheet 5= IVENTOR JOHN E SHCKS ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 18,` 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CASE .lohn E. Sacks, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to The Frank H. Lee Company, Danbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 20, 1943, Serial No. 507,005

(Cl. 20G- 8) Claims. l

The present invention relates to shipping and display cases, and particularly to such cases to be used for the purpose of shipping and displaying hats.

In the past it has been customary to ship hats in round or oval boxes which in turn were enclosed in large shipping cartons. The oval boxes generally contained a number of hats, usually one-quarter dozen, and frequently the hats were inverted, the lowest one being supported on a shelf like structure .with its crown extending through a central hole therein. Each other hat was separated from the next lower by means of separators (usually of cardboard) between the brims of the hats. This mode of shipping was unsatisfactory for a number of reasons. In the first place the space occupi-ed by the oval boxes was great, secondly the boxes had to be packed in the large carton in such manner that they would not shift in their position, and, most important of all, hats shipped in this fashion were frequently marred due to the fact that the separators above mentioned bearing on the hat brims marked them, and sometimes also due to the fact that the separators became crushed and the crown portions of the hats came together and rubbed oner upon the other.

The present invention therefore contemplates a structure in which the hats are completely separated one from the other, and are held in den nite positions for both shipping and display purposes. Moreover, the construction is such that shipment may be made of any number of hats ranging from one to thirty-six. Furthermore, in utilizing my invention the shipping container may also be used for displaying the merchandise.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shipping container for hats which may be likewise utilized as a display case.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a shipping container which may be shipped to the user thereof in a knocked down form.

It is another object of my invention to make such a container in sectional form so that a varying sized container may be formed therefrom in accordance with the number of units of merchan dise to be shipped tothe customer.

It is a further` object of the invention to provide such a container in which the merchandise therein will be fixed in position during shipment f Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the shipping container of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the container;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the container;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l showing the mode of forming a reinforcing edge on one of the shelf like units of the container;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View partially in crosssection showing a cover means for the front of the display case and showing likewise the mode of mounting this cover means upon the case;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, showing the manner of inserting a clip into the shelf structure for the purpose of holding a hat in position;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the upper portion of the clip bent over the sweatband of the hat in order to hold it in a fixed position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 8--6 of Fig. 1, illustrating the position of two clips in each hat at opposite ends of the smaller diameter thereof for holding it in position as mentioned above;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the hat holding clip mentioned in connection with Figs. 6 through 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the blank from which the top of the display case of Figs. 1 through 3 is formed;

Fig. 11 is a similar View of the blank for one of the shelves of Figs. l through 3;

Fig. 12 is a similar view of the blank for the base of the oase of Figs. 1 through 3;

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of a modified form of my invention, in which tabs are supplied on the top and on each shelf element and extend into slots in the next lower element or the base as the case may be;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the structure of Fig. 13; v

Fig. l5 is a plan view of the blank for the top and shelf structures of the modified form of my invention; and

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line iii-i6 of Fig. 13, showing the mode of inserting a tab on the top or one of the shelf structures into a slot of the next lower shelf structure or of the base as the case may be.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, it will be seen that my irnproved shipping and display container comprises a base 2D, a plurality of shelves 2l, and a top 22. The base is generally rectangular in shape and has a reinforcing ridge on the four sides there--4 of. The exact mode of construction of this base is best seen by reference to Fig. 12 which illustrates the blank prior to its folding. The blank for the base 2E) is rectangular in shape and has on each side thereof a flap 23. A score line is formed at the juncture of the flap and the body of the blank and a second score line is formed in the flap at approximately the middle thereof, thus dividing the flap into the two portions 25. and 25. In addition each flap is provided with a plurality of tabs 2G which are doubly scored at their juncture With the flap. It will be clear that when the flaps are folded along the score line, as is illustrated in detail in Fig. 4, the flaps form ribs of generally triangular shape lying be-A neath the edges of the central portion of the base, and the tabs 26 extend through slots 2l in the base and are bent over to enhance the rigidity of the reinforcing rib structure. It will be noted that the body of the base 20 is provided with a plurality of holes 28 and slots 30 which are used, as will be hereinafter described, in fastening the hats to the base.

The shelf members 2i are formed from the blank shown in Fig. 1l and, although generally similar to the base described immediately above, differ therefrom in that the front and rear only are provided with the triangular shaped reinforcing ribs, and the sides are provided with the flaps 3| which extend downwardly for the purpose of spacing the Shelf from the next lower shelf or from the base, as the case may be. The flaps 3| are provided with subsidiary flaps 32 generally similar to the flaps 23 of Fig. 12, thus forming a reinforcing rib at the sides of the front and rear of the shelf structure, which cooperates with the rib formed along the front and rear edges of the shelf. Since the subsidiary flap 32 is of a lesser height than the flap 3l, it will be seen that when the flap 32 is folded into the triangular shape and seated upon the corners of the next lower shelf, the lowest portion of the flap 3| extends over the upper portion of the corresponding fiap of the next lower shelf to position the higher' shelf with respect to the lower. Each shelf is provided with the holes 28 and slots 30 which are identical with the one described in connection with Fig. 12.

The top 22 is identical with the shelf just described, except as is clearly shown at Fig. the holes 28 and slots 3U are omitted.

As has been indicated, means are provided for fastening the hats securely to the shelves so that there can be no movement thereof, and consequently no marring of the hats during shipment. The mode of fastening the hats to the shelves is as follows. Clips such as those shown in Fig. 9, which comprise a soft iron wire covered with a paper covering 33 and comprising a T-shaped structure with a flange bent off at the base as indicated at 34 of Fig. 6, are inserted through the slots 3Q, the end 3d being slipped through the slot and the clip caused thereafter to stand upright as shown in Fig. 6. Next the hats are placed on the shelf so that the clips lie within the crown portion 35 (Fig. 6) next to the sweatband 36. Thereafter the upper end 33a of the clip 33 is bent over the sweathand 3E, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, this being done by slipping a hand through the hole 28 and bending the upper end 33ab of clip 3 over the sweatband, as shown in Fig. '7, which serves to hold the hat in position with the brim 38 against the base 20 or shelf 2i, as the case may be. When the hats have thus been affixed to the base and shelves they may be made ready for shipment by inserting first the base, then the number of shelves required for the size of the shipment, and then the top member 22 into a Shipping carton such as that indicated by the dash lines of Fig. 3. Upon closing and sealing the carton it is then ready for shipment and will, of course, be received in the same condition. Upon receipt the top, the shelves in order, and the base are removed from the carton and may then be used as a display case by reassembling them in the same manner in which they were received in the carton. Due to the mitered construction at the corners of members Z3 and 32 the entire weight of the shelves is pressed upon the next succeeding lower shelf or the base as the case may be and the shelves thus prevented from telescoping one over the other, the shelves being held in their proper positions by means of the downwardly extending side aps 3l.

In order to protect the hats from dust and to prevent the handling thereof by unauthorized persons, a front cover member is supplied. As shown in the specific embodiments illustrated, this cover member comprises a shade which may be of Cellophane or like transparent material (see Figs. 1, 3 and 5). This shade l0 is mounted on an ordinary spring actuated shade roller 4I which is supported in brackets 42, these brackets being formed from a sheet of light weight metal or the like and having the flanges 43 and 44 bent therefrom as shown particularly in Fig. 5. Properly spaced from flange 43 is a hole through member 44 through which a nail d may be inserted so that it lies immediately behind the vertical portion of the front reinforcing rib or flap 23 of the top member 22. The shade 49 may be Cellophane or like material and is supplied with a pull ring 43 in order that it may be readily raised and lowered.

A modified form of my invention is shown in Figs. 13 through 16, The modification consists in this that the flaps 3i of the shelf and top members are provided with tabs l and the cooperating shelves and base member are supplied with slots 4l, as is best seen by referring to Fig. 15 which shows the blank before folding. Also, the flaps 3| are slit adjacent the ends of the tabs 46 so that the tabs are effectively of greater length than would otherwise be the case, in order that, as shown in Fig. 16, the tabs 4S may be inserted in the slots il of the next lower member while the ends of the flaps 32 after folding into their triangular reinforcing form may set squarely upon the corners of the members 20 and 2l. It will be readily seen that this construction makes it possible to move the assembled base, shelves and top as a unit, and therefore simplifies the shipping of the unit since it may be inserted sidewise into a sleeve as shown in Fig. 14, and therefore does not need to be disassembled and reassembled upon receipt. In addition, of course, there is a considerable saving in that the shipping carton is reduced to the form of a simple cardboard sleeve.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing therefrom. Consequently I desire to be limited not by the foregoing description, but solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shelf section for a shipping and display container comprising a central rectangular portion, reinforcing ribs of triangular cross-section at the front and rear edges of said central portion, depending flanges at the side edges thereof, reinforcing ribs of generally triangular crosssection at the front and rear edges of each of said depending flanges, said reinforcing ribs terminating short of the free ends of the flanges whereby the ribs are adapted to seat upon the central portion of a similar shelf with the lower edges of the flanges overlying the upper edges of similar .flanges on said next lower shelf, said central portion being provided with a plurality of holes and slots immediately adjacent the periphery of said holes, said slots being adapted to the insertion of means for holding an article of merchandise to the shelf.

2. A shelf section for a hat shipping and display container comprising a central rectangular portion, reinforcing ribs of triangular cross-section at the front and rear edges of said central portion, depending flanges at the side edges thereof, reinforcing ribs of generally triangular crosssection at the front and rear edges of each of said depending flanges, said reinforcing ribs terminating short of the free ends of the flanges whereby the ribs are adapted to seat upon the central portion of a similar shelf with the lower edges of the flanges overlying the upper edges of similar iianges on said next lower shelf, said central portion being provided with a plurality of holes and slots immediately adjacent the periphery of said holes, said slots being adapted to receive clips which extend therethrough adjacent to the sweatband of a hat placed on the shelf with its periphery coaxial with the periphery of said hole, said clips being bent over the sweatband of the hat to hold it to the shelf.

3. A blank for a top section of a shipping and display container comprising a central rectangular portion, side flanges formed thereon by scoring, front and rear flaps formed thereon likewise by scoring, saidfront and rear flaps being scored substantially centrally thereof, tabs on said front and rear flanges, said tabs being doubly scored adjacent their juncture with the body of the flange, slots in said central portion adapted to cooperate with said tabs when said aps are folded along said score lines to form reinforcing ribs, flaps on the front and rear edges of said side flanges, said flaps being scored at their juncture with the side flange and likewise scored intermediate their width, tabs on said flaps, said tabs being doubly scored at their juncture with the corresponding naps, and slots in the side flaps adapted to cooperate with said tabs when said flaps are folded to form reinforcing edges, said flaps of said side flanges being of lesser extent than the body thereof.

4. A blank for a shelf section of a shipping and display container comprising a central rectangular portion, side flanges formed thereon by scoring, front and rear flaps formed thereon likewise by scoring, said front and rear flaps being scored substantially centrally thereof, tabs on said front and rear flanges, said tabs being doubly scored adjacent their juncture with the body of the flange, slots in said central portion adapted to cooperate with said tabs when said flaps are folded along said score lines to form reinforcing ribs, flaps on the front and rear edges of said side flanges, said flaps being scored at their juncture with the side flange and likewise scored intermediate their width, tabs on said flaps, said tabs being doubly scored at their juncture with the corresponding flaps, and slots in the side flanges adapted to cooperate with said tabs when said flaps are folded to form reinforcing edges, said flaps of said side flanges being of lesser extent than the body thereof, said central portion of said blank having a plurality of holes therein, each said hole having a plurality of slots adjacent the periphery thereof.

5. A blank for a base of a shipping and display container comprising a central rectangular portion, front, side and rear flaps thereon, each said flap being scored at its juncture with a central portion, and each said ap being scored at a point substantially intermediate its width, a plurality of tabs on each of said flaps, each said tab being doubly scored at its point of juncture with the flap, slots in the central portion in alignment with each of said tabs whereby said fiaps may be folded along their score lines to form reinforcing ribs of generally triangular cross-section on the edges of said central portion and said tabs placed through the slots and folded over to retain said iiaps in place, and a plurality of holes in Said central portion, each said hole having a plurality of slots adjacent the periphery thereof.

JOHN E. SACKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,180,524 Huye Nov. 21, 1939 1,901,530 Pellymounter Mar. 14, 1933 2,334,392 Diehl Nov. 16, 1943 888,160 Grochau May 19, 1908 2,314,106 Schornstein et al. Mar. 16, 1943 2,203,737 Moore June 11, 1940 2,333,244 Gordon Nov. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 419,770 Britain Nov. 19, 1934 

